Oculus virtual reality headsets simulate offices for future of staff working from home

Still from Andrew Bosworth's video show's how the VR home office of the future could look: Andrew Bosworth / Facebook

Staff toiling away at home while offices are closed due to the coronavirus pandemic could soon be using a virtual reality office after Facebook revealed new methods of collaborating with colleagues.

As workers try to get to grips with virtual meetings on Zoom, the social network’s VR arm is developing ways to bring the corporate desk into the spare room.

Facebook’s head of VR posted a teaser video on Twitter showing how an office desk could be projected in front of the user at home - complete with multiple PC screens - while they are strapped into a powerful Oculus Rift, Quest or Go headset.

The system uses technology called Passthrough to create an overlay in augmented or mixed reality.

As we think through supercharging remote work and productivity, we've been working on mixed reality concepts that builds on existing technologies like Passthrough to allow people to switch between real and virtual worlds pic.twitter.com/cJCEXDxC7b

It can apparently also achieve the effect of appearing like the worker is using a physical keyboard when in reality they are typing in thin air.

The virtual workspace is part of Facebook's plans to create what it called “a super-powered augmented workspace with multiple customisable screens in VR, unbounded from the limits of physical monitors”.

Mr Bosworth said: “We’re always experimenting with future concepts using different hardware configurations as part of our proof-of-experience process.

“As we think through supercharging remote work and productivity, we've been working on mixed reality concepts that builds on existing technologies like Passthrough to allow people to switch between real and virtual worlds.”​